Philadelphia MFT

Bullying is normally perceived as something that only occurs in elementary schoolyards, middle school hallways, and high school cafeterias. In light of recent events, bullying has made its way to the forefront of people’s minds. There have been movies, panels, and organizations all assembled to eradicate this issue; but these forums always seem to overlook a particular group of people: adults. Unlike other forms, adult bullying mostly manifests itself in the form of verbal and emotional abuse.

One of the most common places to witness this behavior is in the workplace. Adult perpetrators typically bully in order to display their power, humiliate, and isolate their victims. People experiencing this type of bullying often feel powerless to stop it and have a hard time speaking out against it. Here are some ways to address and cope with bullying in the workplace:

Document everything. Keep an account of instances where you’ve felt bullied. This helps differentiate between isolated incidents and bullying behavior. Your co-worker having one bad day and being snippy towards you is different from your co-worker disrespecting you on a consistent basis. Documenting, also helps to keep your experiences concise in the event that you have to discuss them with a higher authority in your company.

Ignore. Bullies often feed off of power. If you refuse to lend the bully any power, there is a chance the bullying could stop.

Civilly approach offender. If ignoring doesn’t work and you feel safe, attempt to meet with your bully to discuss your perspective on the situation. They may not realize that their behaviors are making you uncomfortable.

Meet higher-ups. If you’re conversation with your offender did not yield positive results or you never felt safe engaging with them; now is the time to schedule a meeting with an authority figure.

Open up. It is important to realize that bullying is a stressful ordeal, one which can lead to many psychological issues. It is imperative for you to speak with someone about your experiences with it whether you are presently going through the situation or feeling latent effects. The therapists here at Philadelphia MFT are more than qualified to help you process through these feelings. Do not hesitate to contact us.